Could It Be?
by Ione-Sama
Summary: Penelope's return after a year, has a strong affect on the team, especially Derek. Is he prepared for the strong feelings that spark between them? and when her life becomes endangered, and his career is on the line, will he risk everything to save her?
1. Reunion

Chapter 1

Derek Morgan sat at his desk in the Behavioral Analysis Unit at FBI headquarters, methodically thumping his fingers on the smooth desk table top. His other hand supported his head, massaging his temple with the tips of his fingers. His dark eyes stared intently at the screen of his computer, scanning over the lines of an email he'd just opened;

_I miss being at the BAU with all of you; things are so different here in Honduras, than in the US; everything is so much simpler and the people are so welcoming and accepting. I'm actually thrilled with finding an immense supply of deep-down good-hearted people…who are true and honest with no other motives accept genuine kindness and goodness._

A light smile touched Darrek's mouth. The email was dated May twenty-three; emails took nearly two weeks to reach the US from Honduras because of the primitive technology but Derek looked anxiously forward to them. Once they arrived, he'd sit as his desk for hours-putting the rest of his work aside-and read over them over and over again, catching every word and phrase;

_I'll miss it here; after a year of living amongst these people-even though most of my time here has been spent on more research work than a pleasure vacation, it's been an incredible experience and I will miss all of my new friends here…but in a week's time, when I'm headed back, I have a feeling that once my feet are once again planted on US soil, I'll virtually jump up and down with excitement!_

Derek laughed to himself. Elle, who was Darrek's partner, passed by his desk and hearing his snickers, she paused behind his chair. "What you reading?"

Derek glanced up. "Oh Just reading this email from Penelope."Elle smiled. "When did she send it?"

"Well she wrote it three weeks ago but I just got it this morning."

Elle glanced at her watch; it was exactly 1AM. "You got here before I did and I was here at seven…"

Derek shrugged, attempting to look nonchalant.

"Have you been reading it this whole time?" She settled herself on the desk next to him.

"Well emails take awhile to get here and by the time they do, she's probably already had two weeks worth of all new experiences that she's writing about; I like to try and keep updated."

Elle grinned. "You miss her don't you."

He glanced up. "We all do…"

"Yeah but I think we all know who misses her the most; you two have always been pretty close."

"Yeah…she's always had a way with me I guess…"

"She has a way with you that no one else does, Derek; not even me…she knows you like no one else."

"She just has that natural intuition about people, you know how she is."

"Hmm yeah…especially with you."

Derek laughed, and glanced over his shoulder at Elle. The sly smile playing on her face was no secret. "What are you thinking in that head of yours, Girl?"

"Derek, Pen has always had a bit of a thing for you… even you have to know that…"

"A thing? For me? Are you sure we're talking about the same Penelope?" He finished with a boyish laugh.

Elle rolled her eyes. "Oh com'on Derek, don't act so blasé; you miss her, you've been checking your email every five minutes since she left, checking your machine for any voicemails she might have left; calling the Honduras BAU headquarters to see how she's doing…you're strung out…you practically don't know what to do with yourself without her."

Derek laughed. "Look, I miss her, yeah…she's my girl but I'm not lost."

Elle nudged him. "Yeah…we'll see when she gets back…"

The next week, The BAU was a buzz of business and excitement. There'd been news of a violent murder of a BAU Liaison in Honduras. Agent Jason Gideon and his BAU team are called unexpectedly to assist in the investigation. Gideon, Agent Hotchner, along with Agents J.J., Elle, Derek and Reid, head to the airport for their late evening flight. It was a long flight and as the private jet took off, the team settled in for the night.

By 2AM, they were resting quietly…all that is except Derek. He sat up in his chair with his laptop resting on the turn table, clicking on a file labeled "The Team" it pulled up a window of pictures. Clicking on the first, Derek went through them slowly. They were taken on a kind of R&R/staff trip that the BAU team had taken in Bermuda two years ago. It had been an awesome trip for all of them and it was a time where they all drew very close as a team and to each other. He came to a picture of him and Penelope… it was taken on the beach during a game of beach volley ball. Penelope was wearing a knee-length halter-top red sundress, her hair was pulled up in a sloppy ponytail and she was preparing to serve the ball. Derek had snuck up and grabbed her from behind. The picture was of her squealing in surprise, with Darrek's arm around her waist, laughing. He smiled.

"You miss her, don't you."

He turned to see Hotchner propped up on the couch where he'd been sleeping.

"Don't tell me you too."

"Don't worry; despite what you may think, Elle didn't tell me anything…I've observed for myself."

"You been profiling me, Hotch?"

"Only observing, Morgan. We've all missed her…"

Morgan nodded slowly but didn't look at him.

Hotchner stood up and walking to where Derek sat, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with being worried."

Derek was silent for awhile. His eyes darkened as his thoughts turned to the present purpose of their flight. "What if she was hurt, Hotch. All the BAU liaisons work in groups and I'm sure they stay close…something could've happened to her…"

"It was reported that it was one of the male liaisons from the Manhattan unit; there's no official news as to who else might have been involved…"

Derek cut him off. "I should've been there, Hotch; she shouldn't haven been sent out there alone…someone should've been sent with her…she's smart but she's so naïve; she trusts too much."

"Derek, you can't blame yourself for any of this. I'm sure Penelope's been more than capable of taking care of herself…and she's been surrounded by agents who've become her friends; she's had plenty of protection."

Derek shook his head, a frustrated sigh forced from his lips. "No one there knows Garcia like we do. They don't know what she needs…"

"And you do…"

Derek fell silent, looking at Hotchner's penetrating eyes. He looked away and shaking his head, his dark eyes a mix of frustration and sadness, "I should've been there."

"Well you're coming now…and Garcia will be happy for that; it's been a year since we last saw her and I know we're all looking forward to being united again."

"I wonder if she's changed at all."

Hotchner laughed. "Oh, she's changed alright."

"How do you know?"

"Well in her last email to J.J. …well she sent a picture of herself with some of the kids from down there…"

"Why didn't J.J. show me the picture? I told her that if Garcia sent any that…"

"Garcia told J.J. specifically _not _to show you any pictures of herself that she might have sent…I think she's got it in her mind to surprise you…maybe even impress you a little bit. Oh you can definitely tell it's Penelope in the pictures; that contagious smile of hers is unmistakable."

Derek waited, hoping that Hotch would drop some other clue as to how Penelope had changed. The thought of it made him excited and nervous all at once…he didn't know why.

"But she's definitely changed in her physical appearance…but that's all I can say; you'll find out soon enough, Morgan."

"You guys are all cruel to me, you know that?"

Hotchner only laughed. "Trust me, I think once you see her, all the hard time we've been giving you…will be well worth it."

The plane landed in Honduras at 11PM, Central American time. The team disembarked, exhausted but relieved to finally have arrived. A delegate from the Honduras FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit met them. "Hello, I'm agent Antonio Carlos, I'm glad that you all are here."

"Agent Jason Gideon, Quantico BAU, good to meet you… although I wish it was under better circumstances."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Senor Gideon but just the same, at a time like this, couldn't think of anyone better to assist us in the present challenge than you."

"Can you tell us anything that happened?"

"Unfortunately I cannot tell you much, I'm a liaison from another unit but I do know that the victim, Juan Iglesia was discovered in his home last night. Stabbed. It looked like he'd been there for maybe twelve hours, but we can't be sure."

"Who found him?"

"One of the Liaisons from Washington D.C. … she was meeting with Juan to go over some files; they were working together on a cold case and met regularly at his home, once every week…"

"Wait, who was this Liaison?" Derek moved to the front of the group and addressed Antonio.

"Her name is Penelope Garcia… I believe she's actually one of yours?"

Darrek's face twisted in anguish. He looked at Gideon and the older man's expression mirrored his own. "Penelope was the one that found him?"

"Yes… they had planned to meet at around noon yesterday and when he never called, she went to his house at around… oh I'd say it was about 8:30 to check on him…"

"She went to Juan's house… alone?" It was Derek again who spoke but this time, his voice was raised and tense.

Gideon placed a hand on his arm. "Derek, calm down, we don't know what happened."

"No! we don't! and that's why I need you to tell me _exactly _what happened? Why was she alone!"

Antonio tried to answer but Derek turned to Gideon. "Hotch told me that all the Liaisons were kept in groups and under protection; why would Penelope be going to Juan's house at night and alone?"

"I assure you Senor Derek, that we take every precaution to ensure the safety of our people…but your Garcia was a bit more difficult; she was very insistent about her privacy and didn't take kindly to a protection detail though ours were minor and consisted of only one other fellow agent; we believe it is best to travel in pairs…especially with the unrest that's been going on. These are good people but there are those who are desperate and do not feel that the authorities are doing their jobs… and some chose to take justice into their own hands."

"Derek, you know how Penelope is…she never liked to be made a fuss over."

"I _know exactly _how she is and that's why I'm upset! You shouldn't have allowed her to blow you off; someone should've been kept with her at all times, I don't care what she said."

Just then, Hotch came to Darrek's side. The younger man was infuriated and was inches from decking Antonio on the spot. Hotch laid a hand on Darrek's arm. "Derek, I understand your anger…but right now, the best thing for us to do is help these people find the unsub that killed one of their own… heated tempers flying out of control won't help and neither will casting blame. Let's just focus on the task at hand. We need to get to the motel and settled in for the night."

"Senor Hotchner is right. I don't wish to fight with any of you and all I care about is keeping the rest of my people and yours safe. I have set up a place for you in the Hotel Hacienda; it is the best we have and also, it is closest to the BAU; easy access. Your agent has been housed there as well and a protection detail has been placed outside her room at all times." He looked pointedly at Derek. "Regardless of what you may think of me Senor, I do not take any chances with any people placed under my responsibility."

As the team arrived at the Hotel, they made their way through the extravagant lobby to the front desk to check in. Darrek's eyes took a brief sweep of the room. The walls were a smooth polished marble, matching the marbled floors. The color of the wall was a tinted bronze where the floor tiles were a clear transparent marble with flecks of bronze accents. The furniture was lavish but comfortable and the white carpeted black marbled spiraled staircase was equally impressive. The walls were lavished with paintings of exotic tropical landscape and the ceiling was a mural of crashing ocean waves, tropical plants and animals. The overall feel of the Hotel Hacienda was indeed inviting and gave a calming affect to its inhabitants. Derek had always loved Central America and most of the tropical islands… but this was his first time in Honduras; already he felt a natural pulling attraction the this country and its culture. But he pulled himself from his revelry when he heard the beautiful receptionist say in her milky smooth accent, "Enjoy your stay."

Gideon nodded and smiled and one by one, they took up their luggage and followed Gideon up the stairs.

"Damn, what happened to the good old elevators?" Elle grunted as she struggled with her suitcase.

Derek and Hotchner both snickered. "It wouldn't be so hard… if you didn't pack so much stuff, Elle." Derek teased.

"Hey, a girl's got to have her barest necessities; its usually the girls that you boys run to when you forgot to pack something."

"I've got everything I need; bath soap, shampoo, shaver, shave gel and two changes of pants and shirt; plus my three pairs of socks and my shoes. Not including my gun and badge, that's all I need."

Elle rolled her eyes. "Well I guess that's why us women always look better than you men; we put more effort into our appearance and hygiene."

"Actually, did you know that on average, men are becoming more conscientious about their physical appearance than women?" Reid interjected in his university professor tone. "Also, it's a known fact that while women may be more attentive to their outward appearance, women generally suffer more from low self-esteem issues; they don't have nearly as much self-confidence as men do in fact they greatly struggle and most of them turn to eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia in order to make themselves seem more appealing to those of the opposite gender. But this only makes them feel worse about themselves so it causes them to degrade themselves and abuse their bodies even more in an attempt to heighten self-esteem and its just a vicious cycle until eventually…"

"Ok, ok Reid, I got it…I didn't really need to hear all of that." Elle waved off Reid's explanation warily.

Derek laughed. "Hey, better listen to what the man has to say Elle, it just might save you from descending to that vicious cycle of 'self-loathing.'" The group laughed; Darrek's eyes only sparkled as Elle turned the death glare on him.

When they reached the top, Antonio directed them to their rooms.

"Where's Garcia's room?"

"It's down the hall, fifth door on the left; room 227."

Turning, Derek headed down the other hall, without a word. Hotch caught up to him. "Derek, she may be sleeping; we should just get some rest tonight…you can see her in the morning."

Derek shook his head. "Hotch… she could've died."

"But she didn't."

"I'm not gonna sleep tonight until I know and see with my own eyes that she's really ok."

Hotch looked at his friend. He knew he couldn't change Darrek's mind. Nodding, he bid him a quiet goodnight and turning, walked down to the other end of the hall to his own room.

"The rooms are small but they are comfortable; I hope they are suitable to your needs." Antonio watched Derek as he halted at Penelope's door.

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it."

"You know…she often spoke of you."

Derek paused, glancing at Antonio; his eyes were questioning.

"She always talked of all of you but…you in particular; she always mentioned how out of everyone on the team, you were the most protective…she talked of that one time when she got shot…and you stayed with her every night until her killer was found…she talked of how you were always making sure she was ok… and when something was wrong, even when no one else knew…you could always tell when she was hurting…and you wouldn't let up until she opened up and told you."

"That's what a team should be, Antonio; they're family and we look out for each other…that's how it is."

Antonio nodded. "I know…but I also know when I see something more than that."

He looked at Derek, then smiling, bid him goodnight, turned and left. Derek was left alone in the empty hallway. He pondered Antonio's last words and tried to decipher what they meant. Then glancing at one of the agents posted opposite Penelope's room, he nodded. "Thanks for keeping an eye on her."

The other man nodded back; and with a playful twinkle in his eye said, "It's nothing really…I've gotten used to her death glares every time she enters and leaves…and the occasional crumbled up piece of paper…or mango peel that she throws out the door isn't so bad anymore."

Derek laughed. "Yeah, she's never been one for a protection detail; thinks she can take care of herself."

"I wouldn't mess with her; she's tough has hell…and a spitfire to boot."

Just then, the two men were interrupted by a loud crash and before either could react, the door flew open and a flustered Penelope stood before them; face red and eyes flaming. Derek froze. He couldn't believe his eyes. "Penelope?"


	2. In Front of You, In Front of Me

Chapter 2

Penelope stood in the open doorway. Her blonde hair held off her neck by a bright red clip was falling out and strands dangled down into her eyes. She wore a simple black dress that draped off one shoulder, the sleeves came to just above her elbows and were gathered with a red ribbon bow. The hemline came just above her knee and she sported crimson red nail polish and no shoes.

Derek couldn't speak. It was _definitely _Penelope, there was no doubt about it. The perky nose, rounded face, wild blonde hair and full bangs were a dead giveaway. But the Penelope that stood before him had changed. A year in Honduras, in the bright tropical sun had darkened her skin about 3 shades; she wasn't nearly as dark as any of the natives but outside of her stark blond hair, she could easily have been mistaken for a lighter version. Her body was different; though always a big girl, she'd trimmed down considerably…not nearly as skinny as Elle or J.J.; her body was more of an exaggerated hour-glass shape…but she'd definitely lost weight and was now a fit curvy girl with shapely hips and dynamite legs.

"Derek…?" Penelope squeaked. Her voice was definitely the same. Then suddenly, the old Penelope he remembered lunged at him, and threw her arms around him in the fastest, tightest hug he'd ever remembered receiving.

"Oh my god, you're here! You're finally here! I mean, they'd told me you all were coming but I didn't think it would've been this soon…!" Then all at once, her excitement and laughter turned to tears. Penelope nestled her face in Darrek's neck and just cried. Reaching his arm behind him, he shut the door to allow them the privacy they both so desperately needed. Something inside him told him he'd missed this girl a hell of a lot more than he thought, and he wasn't going to let anyone ruin this moment for anything. He wrapped his arms around her and just let her cry on his shoulder. His heart twisted slightly; Penelope had been through so much in the last several weeks, he could only imagine. From the trauma of discovering Juan's body; who had no doubt become her friend and then having to deal with the endless questions; she was the top witness and Derek knew only all too well from experience, how many times key witnesses to a case were dragged through the interrogations and questions over and over and over again. He'd never truly thought of how traumatic and exhausting that must be…but now, as he held Penelope, sobbing quietly in his arms, it brought to his mind afresh how truly terrible the things they dealt with on a daily basis were. "I'm here, Baby girl…shhh, it's alright, we're all with you now."

"Oh thank God…" Then suddenly, Penelope's head snapped up and she switched gears to the Penelope he'd always known. "I swear, if I have to deal with those clowns outside my door, hovering over me like a pair of psychopathic vultures, I will scream. I told Antonio I did not need or want protection but no, he insisted on having those two whackos follow me everywhere I go; I can't stand having someone looking over my shoulder while I'm working…much less while I'm just brushing my teeth or eating or sleeping!"

Derek smiled. He'd missed Penelope so much; he'd even missed her fiery temperamental side and now, as her eyes sparked with irritation and her voice edged with frustration…something inside him clicked…it was kind of _sexy._

"What…what are you smiling at Derek? You're looking at me like I'm standing in the shower naked."

She was always so blunt; another thing he loved and missed about her. Whenever he'd been looking for a straight up answer about anything, Penelope was always the first to give it to him and he'd found a lot of solace and comfort in her advice. Now, he just missed hearing her talk.

"Sorry, but I haven't seen you in a year you know? I'm still trying to adjust to how much I've missed you."

"Oh don't even try that, Derek Morgan… I know you've had only too much fun without me; probably haven't been behaving…" She went to move out of Darrek's arms but he held onto her. "No wait a minute now… how could you even think that, Penelope?"

She was silent for a moment. There was something in Darrek's eyes; the way he looked at her… it seemed different than how he used to look at her… it looked almost like how she'd seen Hotchner look at his wife, Hailey… she found herself turning red and squirming under his gaze. "Well… I know how you are, Derek…"

"Oh do you."

"Of course, I do; no one knows you like I do and you know it."

Derek looked at her for a long time. He still couldn't believe how much she'd changed…yet how much she was still the same.

"What are you staring at…?"

"You. Girl look at you…"

"I do… everyday when I look in the mirror."

"That's just it; _I haven't. _It's been a year, remember? You're accustomed to how you look now… I'm _definitely not._"

"I don't look any different… how am I different?" She briefly looked down at herself.

"You're ….well you're darker for one thing… by like three shades… and you've uh…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "You're…"

"Ok ok, you can say it, I've lost weight."

"Yeah…but not just that… I mean you definitely have but…it's not like you're skinny like Elle or J.J."

"Oh! Well thanks a lot, Morgan…"

"No no, that's not what I meant…"

"Ok for me being gone for a year, your usual charm has definitely suffered…"

Derek grabbed her by the arm to stop her pacing. "Baby girl…you're beautiful."

Her heart did an unexpected flip and her cheeks flushed.

"That's what I mean… you've always been beautiful inside _and _out but it just shows more…"

"What are you trying to say, Derek…?" Her eyes sparkled mischievously. Loosing her hand from his, she plopped down on the bed closest to Derek, eyeing him expectantly. His dark eyes smiled as they looked down at her. She smiled but averted her eyes, fingering the bedspread absently.

"Agent Carlos told us what happened."

Penelope flinched slightly. She'd known that more questions and prodding about what happened with Juan would be expected…and that she would be the main target of interest in the investigation. But just now, she wasn't ready to talk about it again… particularly not with Derek; something about the whole situation made her feel vulnerable and she hated it. "Well there's nothing more for you to know than what I'm sure he's told you…" she pushed herself off the bed, making her way to stand by the window. Her fingers pulled back the thin red linen curtains as she looked out.

"I understand if you don't wanna talk about it, Garcia."

She scoffed lightly. "As if I really have a choice?" she turned and faced him then. Her eyes were frightened mixed with anger. Derek could read her thoughts; she'd been invaded for the last week with so many people asking her questions about her relationship with Agent Juan, how long they'd been working together, if she'd noticed anything unusual; other people who appeared to have a problem with him… the list was endless and now here he was, dragging her through the same painful experience.

"Juan always called me when he was ready to meet; we met at noon every week. It was Twelve and he still hadn't called. I decided that maybe he'd gotten caught up at home or maybe even at work… he also has a fiancée and she was in town so I figured maybe he'd taken her out to dinner… and would call me when he was done."

She walked to her dresser, fingering the red, yellow, white and brown origami that decorated it's dark stained surface. "It was almost five in the evening before I started realizing that something was wrong. I decided to just drop by later to check on him…see if everything was ok…." Her voice shook slightly; her right hand gripped the edge of the dresser. "I came to the door and found the front glass was…shattered."

Darrek's eyes darkened with anguish. The thought of Penelope coming on something like that, alone…. It was almost too much for him to think about. He pushed the dreaded thought aside and focused once again on her, standing across the room from him.

"I called his name, once or twice…and there was no answer. And then I…" A lone tear slipped down her cheek. "I saw the vase of Hibiscus …it was tipped over right there in the entryway…" By now, it was as if Garcia was reliving the entire traumatic event right there; her eyes starred off blankly and she moved slowly about the room-as if in a daze-her hands gesturing out in front of her. "I …I knew something was terribly wrong so I grabbed the nearest thing to me I could find… some stupid statue of a peacock's head or something…isn't that ridiculous? Like what could that do against someone with a gun or a … knife."

Darrek's arms ached to reach out and pull her close; she looked so fragile now as she retold her story; he didn't want to her have to relive anymore of the terror and pain it brought her.

"And then… I rounded the corner into the living room and…. And he… he was…there!" She gasped, her legs began to give out beneath her, and she grasped the nearby small dining room table. Her knuckles were white. "And I… I called to him, I shook him I don't know how many times…I know you're not suppose to disturb a crime scene but… I rolled him over and that's when I saw…that's…when I saw…!"

Derek couldn't stand it anymore; in two big strides he was at her side, supporting her in his arms. Penelope reached a shaky hand and clung to him. "There was….so much blood; I mean just all over the front of him… all over the white carpet; just so much…" Suddenly, her face paled and fearing she was about to pass out, Derek shifted all of her weight to himself. Her legs buckled just then and for a split second, she did black out. When she opened her eyes, Derek was sitting on the floor, holding her in his arms; his dark eyes gazing down at her with deep sympathy and concern. Another tear slipped from her eyes and trailed down her cheek.

Derek brushed it away with his thumb. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry, I wish you hadn't had to go through that; and I'm…so sorry I wasn't here…I should've been there for you."

Penelope shook her head. "No don't go blaming yourself, Derek, stop it. I won't have any of that; you couldn't have done anything…don't go being heroic and trying to take everything on yourself…"

Derek smiled just then, reaching a hand to brush a stray hair that fell into her eyes, he was once again amazed at how beautiful Penelope was…she'd always been…but now, even more so. Something about her dark brown eyes; they way they danced and flickered, reflecting her emotions, grabbed his attention. He'd never been so close to her face nor been able to gaze at her eyes for so long…it was a new element about his and Penelope's relationship that intrigued him…it was strange.

"Ok…you've been staring at me like that for about twenty minutes, Morgan, just tell me that I have mushroom in my teeth and I'll go fix it."

"I'm not looking at your mouth, Garcia….it's your eyes…"

"My eyes…?"

"Yeah…your eyes… your deep, dark brown eyes."

"What about them…? You've seen my eyes before, Derek…what's gotten into you?"

"I've never seen them this close before….they're beautiful."

"Ok…ok." She protested as she pushed herself up and out of his embrace. "You're like unusually liberal with your…compliments; what are you on? ….or do you have a …girlfriend that's working reform on you…?" she stood to her feet then; for some odd reason, the thought of Morgan having a girlfriend gave her a sharp twinge of jealousy.

Derek laughed; his brilliant smile flashed up at her. "…No…there's no girl; you should know that. You're the only woman in my life." He stood also, not taking his eyes from her face.

Penelope shifted her feet nervously…he'd never stared at her so much. "Oh I may be naïve…but I'm most certainly not blinded; I'm sure you've got some woman stashed away somewhere… I've seen you with women before you know…"

"What's that suppose to mean?" His smiled faded lightly as he watched her expectantly.

She slinked away from him, her hands clasped behind her back, trying to appear nonchalant in her response. "Oh you know, the company dinners that we have every year…or even that one time that you and Elle went to the Bahamas; I saw pictures…"

"Are you saying….that you don't like the fact that I have lady friends…?" something inside him hoped that she'd affirm his suspicion; how strange! He'd never before hoped that Penelope would be jealous of any woman he was close to but now, it seemed immensely appealing and the temptation to find out was just too much to resist.

"What? No! No, there's…nothing at all wrong with you having…lady friends."

"But you're saying that you don't like any woman that tries to get close to me, right?" His eyes sparkled playfully.

"Oh Derek, quit, you're completely twisting around everything I say.. Typical man."

Derek put his hands up in a defensive stance. "Hey now, I never said anything like that… I'm just trying to figure out what you're saying…cause it pretty close to along those lines…"

Penelope glanced over her shoulder at Derek; he was smiling again. She shook her head, rolling her eyes. "You know what, I was wrong; you definitely have _not _changed at all."

Walking past him, she shoved him back towards the bed. He hit the edge a lot sooner than he expected, and momentarily lost his balance; without warning, he grabbed Penelope's hand to steady himself but instead, the two of them went down together on the bed, Penelope landing squarely on top of Derek.

The two laid frozen; Penelope had Derek pinned beneath her and her hair had now almost completely come undone from its clip and hung down in Darrek's eyes. He caught the scent of her hair as it brushed his cheek; tropical mangos and a twist of plum; she smelled so exotic….it kind of turned him on. Suddenly, a light smiled etched his lips and he reached up a hand, cupping her cheek. Penelope flinched away lightly, not knowing what to think. But at the touch of Darrek's hot russet hand to her cheek, she found she couldn't breathe; it was too much. Gasping, she rolled off and away from him. Derek found himself disappointed at her sudden movement and raising himself up on his side, he looked over at her. Her face was turned away but he caught a stray tear as it slid down her cheek to her now delicate jaw-line. She sat up, brushing it away. "I'm very tired, Morgan… I think I'd like to go to bed now." She sat up, turning her back to him. He sensed something new in her demeanor… a subtle but distinct guardedness with him that she'd never had before…why now?

"Garcia….you alright, Baby girl?"

He caught her shoulder flinch; for some reason addressing her with his pet name gave her some kind of hesitancy, and her guardedness only deepened. "Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just really exhausted."

"Well alright…I'll see you in the morning then?"

She only nodded; not turning to look at him.

"Can I at least have a hug goodnight…?" He asked in a light playful tone, his arms reached out towards her.

Several minutes of silence lapsed. Then she slowly turned and stood. She raised her brown eyes to Derek and when she saw him smiling, her iron guardedness melted and she smiled back. Walking around the bed she pushed herself willingly into his arms, hers encircled his waist securely.

Derek rested his chin on top of her head, enjoying the moment of closeness; he'd missed this woman much more than he'd thought and with everything that had happened, his desire to be with her and protect her was stronger than ever. "Damn, I've missed you." He breathed huskily.

Penelope looked up…she thought she caught a tear shining in Darrek's eyes and suddenly her hesitant shyness turned to concern. "Derek…?"

The tear slipped but Derek managed to catch it with the heel of his hand. "Oh man, I don't even know what…"

"Oh my gosh, I actually made you cry and I didn't even do anything or mean to, I am so sorry, I don't know what to say, tell me what to do to make it all better…"

"Garcia, calm down it wasn't you…it's me I've just…I've really missed you, Woman; and obviously more than even I knew." His eyes were moistened with tears but he attempted to blink them away; he'd never felt so overwhelmed with emotion like this, it was uncomfortable for him. Penelope sensed his discomfort and slapped his cheek ever so lightly, giving him one of her smiles that she only reserved for him. "Hey, we all have our human moments, you just finally decided to have yours." Her voice was dripping with teasing intonations and Darrek's eyes sparkled. "Oh is that what you call it now…"

"According to J.J. that's what it is, yes!"

"Alright well I'll have to remember that then, for next time."

She laughed, then realizing she was still wrapped in his arms, she turned a bit self-conscious again. "Well it's about 3am in the morning here, God knows what time it is back home but you, mister, need rest as do I; we both need to be sharp to tackle the investigation tomorrow."

"Are you sure you're gonna be up for that, Penelope? You've been through a lot, Baby girl and I understand if you're not; we all do."

"No….I'm not up for it honestly but, the show must and does go on…but not with out the invincible, all-powerful ingenious Penelope Garcia directing, so! I will be there bright and early, wide eyed and bushy-tailed."

"You mean _bright _eyed and bushy-tailed, right?"

"Nope, cause my eyes aren't bright, they're just wide…" And she made an exaggerated wide-eyed expression at him. He laughed.

"Alright well I'll come by you're room at 8am and get you for breakfast."

"Oh Derek I already have the two black-suited vultures outside to escort me…"

"Yeah but neither of them are as good-looking or charming as I am." He flashed his brilliant smile at her.

"Well you definitely got that right; alright then, I'll see you manana."

Looking at her, he couldn't resist pulling her back into his arms for one last hug. He planted a kiss on her temple. "Alright, Baby girl…sleep well."

"You too, and dream sweetly, my love." Her usual term of endearment sent an unexpected thrill through him; the sound of her voice as she called him 'my love' affected him differently; he was feeling so many different emotions tonight, it was too hard to keep up and he finally decided, he would tuck that one away for later contemplation.

He released her reluctantly and headed towards the door. Once to the entrance, he turned around, his hands supported on either side of the door frame. "Hey Baby girl, I know you don't really wanna hear this but do you have some kind of weapon near you by any chance? Something you can get to easily without…" His words cut off as Garcia's hand raised the hem of her dress, sliding it up her thigh to reveal a jet black army knife strapped securely to her upper thigh. Darrek's breath caught and his heart pounded tremendously in his chest. "

"Yes Precious, I always carry this on me now; know how to use it too, no need for you to worry." She winked at him then let the dress fall back harmlessly in place.

Derek found his voice again and managed a weak "Ok then, goodnight."

"Night, Darling."

Closing the door behind him, he stood there for a long moment, letting his breathing slow. Then turning, he found Reid standing there, watching him, a look of understanding crossed the younger man's face. "She's different, isn't she." He spoke knowingly.

"Man you have _no _idea."


	3. Sparks

_Ok, first off, I AM SO SO SORRY TO ALL My fans especially those who have been so enthralled with this story, for not updating sooner! Up until now, I was suffering from the famous writer's block, nothing new was coming to me and plus, I'ma be graduating from college soon so my school schedule's been tight, just trying to get my last classes finished up. But here it is! The newest installment of my Criminal minds fan fic, "Could it be?"! hope you all enjoy! And I promise I will be doing my best to update more frequently! Xoxoxox 3_

The next morning, Penelope awoke with a start. Memories of last night flashed before her mind's eye.

Derek.

She checked her bedside clock; 7:45a.m. Derek would be here at any moment. At the prospect of having breakfast together…and spending the day just the two of them, Penelope could hardly contain her excitement. She wanted nothing more than to have Derek all to herself. The last week had been tough on her….it had been horrible to bear and even though Penelope was vibrant, resilient and spirited, it had definitely taken its toll on her. Just then, a light knock on the door interrupted her racing thoughts. Pushing back the covers she swung her feet to the carpeted floor and tiptoed to the door. She checked the peep hole. It was Derek.

"Baby Girl, you awake?"

Penelope slightly panicked. She looked down at herself. With nothing but a simple drape off-shoulder brown night dress that hung to just above her knees, no make-up and her hair in upheaval, she felt hardly ready to be seen in public much less by her chocolate Adonis who always looked smoking in whatever he wore. But then she checked herself. What was she thinking? It was just Derek, her 7-year bestfriend. Why was she all of a sudden so nervous and self-conscious around him? This just wasn't normal for her. Her usual confidence and care-free vibrancy was somehow crippled with just his presence. But no, she willed her wandering thoughts into submission. It was just Derek. And squaring her shoulders, he opened the door…and braced herself.

Derek stared at the most picture perfect image of natural beauty he'd ever seen, before him. No make-up, no flashy flamboyant clothes…just a simple off-shoulder night dress and her hair was everywhere; still Penelope managed to pull off being absolutely ravishing! He didn't know how she did it over and over again, this woman never ceased to amaze him. "Good morning, beau-ti-ful!"

Penelope waved him off, laughing. "Oh hush now, Gorgeous, I'm afraid you have not caught this devilish diva at her best this morning; more or less at her most vulnerable and exposed."

Derek laughed, flashing his dazzling smile, the devilish glint in his dark eyes, sparked just slightly. "Well then maybe Madam Diva should be more vulnerable and exposed more often; she pulls it off well."

Penelope tossed an 'oh please' but no less engaging smile over her shoulder as she disappeared into her walk-in closet. "So. Where are you whisking me off to today, my hotness?"

Derek grinned at the adoring tone of her voice as she purred out one of her many pet names for him. "Well, I told Hotch that today I just wanted to spend some time with you, just the two of us… go to breakfast…maybe go for a walk afterwards; I definitely think it's important for you to just relax and take it easy for a few days… clear your head."

Penelope poked her plucky blonde head out of the closet. "Oh Precious, you worry too much about me, I'm fine!"

"Don't even pretend that you wouldn't do the same for me, Garcia…I know you would."

"Well ok, you've definitely got me there, Handsome. But let's face it, you go through a lot more than I do; you're under much more stress and pressure than I am."

Derek's eyes softened with a hint of sadness. "I don't doubt you're a strong woman, Garcia…I've seen it, but…you have an endless reservoir of compassion….you take care of us and so many others all the time…it's high time someone take care of you for a change…and I wanna be that someone; I wanna make sure my baby girl's alright."

Just then, Penelope emerged, sporting a light airy beach dress that came just to her knee. It was a deep plum color with a halter strap with deep brown wooded bead accents, fastened around her neck. She had on a simple pair of matching gladiators that strapped up to the base of her shin, her toes painted a vibrant purple nail polish that pulled the outfit together. Derek looked her up and down, his eyes beaming…this was definitely his baby girl, just as he remembered her. He shook his head, smiling. "Garcia, I don't know how you do it but…you look amazing every time I see you. Hell, you could wear a garbage bag and make it look like Calvin Klein's greatest!

Penelope laughed at Derek's comparison. "Darling, you are far too sweet."

"Alright well now that I've got this beautiful woman in my possession, I think I'd like to show her off to the world." And offering her his arm, he leaned in close and smiled. "Care to?"

"I'd love to." She smiled back, a light hint of pink flooded her cheek as she met Derek's Dark sparkling eyes. Something was changing in her…no, it was actually something that had always been there but now, it was growing stronger. Deeper. Almost passionate. It scared Penelope a bit because she didn't quite know how to handle these new feelings and emotions that surged so strongly within her. She also feared Derek might catch a hint of it. Oh god, that would be the end of her poise and confident aura; she knew she'd be stumbling and fumbling, grasping for some absurd explanation…and Derek being a profiler, he'd see right through her. And that could possible destroy their entire friendship. The thought twisted Penelope's insides and she resolved right then and there to never let Derek see how she truly felt. She couldn't bear to lose her best friend.

Just then, they reached the bottom of the staircase and Derek led her around to the back end of the Hotel. A doorman stood by and presently opened the double doors for them which led out onto the back veranda looking over the ocean. Another set of shallower steps led to a remote deck that was just big enough for a table and chairs. Penelope gasped as she spotted a white table clothed table bedecked with a simple but generous Honduran breakfast. The table was shaded by a white awning that provided shelter from the brilliant sun. The morning breeze came off the ocean with a hint of deliciously fresh salty spray; it invigorated Penelope's spirits. "Derek Morgan. How on earth did you manage…?"

"Well let's just say I pulled a few strings with hotel management." He shrugged nonchalantly as though it were no giant feat.

Penelope eyed him, a playful grin gracing her lips. "Uh huh…yeah and by 'pulled some strings' you mean gave a few winks and flashed a smile at the exotic management hostess." she laughed then.

Derek shook his head, holding up his hands in a defensive pose. "No, honest to God, Penelope, I didn't once flirt…I came by this favor honestly." He looked her way and smiled again.

Damn it. There went that smile again…it made her weak-kneed and she could feel her cheeks flushing. Ducking her head slightly she moved closer to the one end of the table, pretending to intently observe the sumptuous meal more closely. "Well, I am definitely famished!"

Derek laughed then leading her to her seat, he pulled out her chair for her. "Well then, my benevolent Greek goddess, help yourself!"

She giggled.

Once Derek was seated and the two of them said grace, Penelope eyes sparkled as she took a long sip of her fresh Orange juice. Then, taking up her plate she began to serve generous but moderate portions. Derek sat quietly, resting in a relaxed position, he watched Penelope's every move. Her eyes sparkled and danced and the sweet innocent dimples in her cheeks deepened with the ever-present smile that made her face glow.

She was so beautiful, it took his breath away. Something was definitely changing in him and he had a strong conviction it had everything to do with this woman in front of him. Yet how he could've missed it all this time until now, he was baffled.

"So, have you guys found any leads yet?" Penelope asked presently, glancing up at Derek.

"Hey now, Baby this is suppose to be a day _off. _you're suppose to relax and take it easy…clear your head as in not worrying about the case right now."

"I know but I'm just…I'm anxious Derek. Juan was such a good decent man and….his family…especially his fiancée, deserve some closure…I just want them to have that as soon as possible."

"Well we all do, Penelope and I understand how you feel…but right now, Baby girl I really need you to trust me on this. Juan's killer isn't going anywhere; we are going to find out who did this and when we do we will find him and bring him to justice. But right now, I need you to relax and try not to worry." He reached across the table, laying his hand over hers.

She looked him in the eyes.

"Ok?"

That look. Penelope knew it well. It was the same look that had carried her through so many times of difficulty; when she'd all but lost hope and faith that the world could ever be made a better place and that there was true genuine happiness that could last forever, Derek would give her that calm, earnest look of reassurance. She knew no matter what was going on that she could trust that look; she could trust Derek completely.

"I trust you Derek. I know I can always trust you if no one else…I know you'll get the guy, sweetest."

She patted his hand affectionately then returned to her meal.

Derek smiled to himself. It was such a great comfort to him to know that he could calm all of Penelope's worries and fears with just a simple touch and look. There was nothing better in this world, he thought than keeping this woman smiling. She was his God-given solace…whatever they went through, he knew that he had to keep her safe and happy…his life depended on it.

As they finished eating, Derek wiped at his mouth with the corner of his cloth napkin and looked across the table at Penelope. She was beaming with satisfaction.

"So, you wanna take a walk along the beach with me?"

Penelope was surprised. She had just been thinking of how lovely a stroll along the beach would be and not a split second later, Morgan voices her desires. Just then she smiled knowingly; they'd been best friends for seven years, plus Morgan was a professional profiler. "Yeah, that'd be nice." She affirmed with a smile. Taking her hand, Derek led her down another shallow stairway that led onto the beach. They fell instep beside one another and walked along the shore in comfortable silence, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Momentarily, Penelope paused and grasping tightly to Derek's hand to steady her, she undid the straps to both sandals, tied them loosely together and carried them in her hand. She loved the warm feel of the sand on the surface….and the cool contrast as her toes sank into the sand beneath.

Derek watched her. The ocean breeze caught strays of blond hair that escaped the purple thong that held her hair in a low side ponytail. The strays of hair blew into her face and she tried to tame them, brushing them behind her ear, to no avail. Derek smiled and laughed; his eyes sparkled as he watched Penelope's nose scrunch up, her face disgruntled. "What? What's funny?"

"You are. You're hair blows into your face and you get feisty."

Penelope shook her head. "Well you try having a head of unruly curly wild hair that does what you want it to, 5% of the time…while the other 95% it just says 'you know what, I don't care what you want or what you like, screw you!'"

Derek threw his head back, laughing. "Garcia, you what you don't realize is no matter what your hair does…or doesn't do, you rock it!"

She shook her head. "Thank you, Love but I think your well-seasoned charm that you've doubtlessly perfected in my absence, isn't as convincing as it once used to be."

Derek's smile slightly faded. "Hey, now what's that suppose to mean?"

Penelope brushed him off, passing off a weak ploy of teasing. "Oh com'on Derek, we both know you've had plenty of anxious hearts beating beneath sensual breasts with the pleading eyes of the owners, begging you to break them, I highly doubt you've been lacking in the department since I've been gone."

At this, Derek's smile completely faded, his eyes narrowed slightly in shock. He stopped then, tugging Penelope's hand, causing her to stop and turn to look at him. "What are you saying now, that I'm a dog because I enjoy the company of a beautiful woman?"

"Women." Penelope corrected him. She shook her head slightly. This wasn't at all how she'd planned or wanted to spend their day together but she'd been gone for so long and yet it seemed as if Derek didn't feel as she did. Their reunion had meant so much to her and after so long of being a part, it was more to her…but Derek seemed to feel as if he could just pick up where he left off; he hadn't really lost his technique of flirting, wooing and charm…but for Penelope, it had somehow lost its meaning because unlike Derek, it was no longer joking banter between best friends; it meant something more to her and despite herself, she wanted it to mean something more to him…but so far, she didn't detect any change or deepening of meaning in his words or manner. She knew better than to let it bother her, why should Derek continue on any different from what they'd always been. He couldn't know what she'd felt for him…that she'd felt it for years and had just pushed it aside, letting her true feelings lay dormant. But now, in this exotic place, surrounded by its mystical passion and beauty and the most wonderful beautiful man to ever walk this earth, walking beside her…she knew she was no longer content with the playful flirting and occasional intimate embrace. She wanted something more…and Derek didn't.

"Baby girl, talk to me…what's going on?"

She looked up at him then, her light brown eyes met his deep dark orbs…she could never resist those eyes, they did things to her that no others could. One look from Derek brought her completely to her knees. "It's just…I feel like you feel we haven't ever been a part. I mean you're here and to me it's the best day of my life because it's been a year since I've seen you. Yet you…you act like it's nothing. Like being here with me is almost just another day at the office for you. Just another day of coming to see me in my den, taking me to grab a bite to eat while going over a case…flirting with me and naturally expecting me to go instantly weak or blush or give you some indication that you've got me wrapped around your finger…again."

By now, Derek could detect a slight tremor in Penelope's voice, she was avoiding eye contact with him now and though she didn't pull her hand from his, he could sense the tenseness in her fingers.

"I just…I've changed, Derek. A year in this country…living with these amazing people, it's changed a lot of things in me. I no longer want just temporary relationships or friendships. I'm no longer content with just a hello or goodbye or a 'see you tomorrow.' I want something more out of life and I don't think it's too much to ask for more from the people I care about."

Slowly, Derek sensed the subtle meaning in her words but he couldn't quite let himself believe that it was true. Moreover what if he was mistaken, what if Penelope was saying she no longer wanted to be close friends? The thought felt like a kick in his gut. He couldn't bear not being near this woman or a part of her life. He figured he could accept that she would never have the same feelings for him that he was suddenly very aware of…yet knew they'd always been there. But to not be a part of her life at all; it was too much for him to take.

"…I don't expect you to feel things or see them as I do but I just want you to know and understand who I am…and to understand that I'm a woman with just as much passion and feeling as any other woman that you've been close to…_closer_ to. This is difficult but I need you to understand that…"

Derek's heart wrenched violently in his chest; if this was true, if Penelope was indeed saying that she wanted a more casual relationship between them…that she could no longer let the closeness…almost intimacy between them, go on…perhaps sometime, someday he could accept it. But not now. He had his baby girl back safe. He had his Penelope, his God-given solace…she was within arm's reach and for the first time in his life, he wasn't gonna let her walk away. Not this time and hopefully not ever. They were a good ways down the beach and just then, Derek's eyes caught sight of a small shed set off just a ways back on the beach. It was weather-beaten and from the looks of it, was now being used as a small boat house for kayaks, scuba gear and other aquatic equipment. Without a word, Derek headed purposefully in that direction, pulling an astonished Penelope along behind him. When they'd reached the shed, he pulled her with him and they disappeared behind small building, out of view from the hotel on the ridge above.

Penelope opened her mouth in persistent question but Derek paid her no heed and pulled her into his arms. He held her for what seemed like an eternity. The world around them stopped and for a moment in time, all that existed for Derek Morgan was the beautiful innocent woman in his arms. He'd held Penelope before…a week after her attempted murder, her killer returned to finish the job and Derek shielded a then frightened, shaking Penelope, in his arms…they'd stood alone in the darkness of her apartment, she'd clung to him as though her life depended on it.

But this was different.

This time, it was Derek who clung to her. He held her to him so closely, so tightly; the strongest force of nature couldn't rip her from his embrace.

Penelope's breath caught. She'd been surprised and just seconds after Derek had cut her off, she turned disgruntled, irritated that he would interrupt her in the middle of her trying to communicate to him on how she felt. She'd needed to have this conversation with Derek since the first day they'd arrived in Honduras and she saw him standing in her hotel room door that night. And now, though not under the ideal circumstances she was well on her way to unburdening herself and getting things off her chest, when Derek had briskly whisked her towards a worn down boat house and somewhat aggressively pulled her behind the building and into his arms. She'd not only been taken completely by surprise and been caught off guard but now, the extreme closeness of their bodies to one another was doing insanely maddening things to her emotions and her heart was in turmoil. The butterflies in her stomach were raging and her cheeks flushed as the warm russet dark skin of his neck pressed to her face as he held her head close in the crook of his neck and shoulder. His scent was poignant, rich…seductive and overwhelming. She grew dizzy as the smell assaulted her senses, causing her eyes to roll back in her head involuntarily. She fought the growing urge to moan as one rose to her lips…she didn't know how much longer she could withstand this closeness to him without betraying her thoughts and her heart. She was grateful Derek was significantly taller than her; she could bury her face in his shoulder and he couldn't see her struggle.

Derek was dangerously aware. The closeness of Penelope's body pressed up against his allowed him to feel every movement, every ripple as her emotions were betrayed in her body language and behavior. He could sense she felt something of what he felt; the closeness, the intimacy…the electricity that surged between them was definitely evident and unmistakable. Derek's chin rested on top of Penelope's head, rendering his sense of smell very aware of the scent of her hair. The mix of strawberries and vanilla met him and he couldn't withhold from bending his head down and pressing his face into her hair…her smell was exhilarating, intoxicating and overwhelming. Derek sighed involuntarily but he didn't care if Penelope heard him or not. He was reveling in this moment and the longer they stayed this way, the longer he wanted this moment to last. How could he have missed it for all these years? This woman was right in front of him the whole time. Day in and day out she passed by his desk, tossing her winning smile over her shoulder at him. Several times a day he'd dialed her number and heard her sweet voice coming through his cell phone speaker. Her playful banter was always laced with seductive intonations, lavish flirting and compliments that always boosted his self-esteem and made his day complete…only now did he realize how much truth and sincerity her words held then. Only now did he realize how much more they'd meant to him then just friendly banter and playful flirting. They were the words that started his day and carried him through.

Penelope was frozen, breathless in Derek's warm tight embrace. There was something different about the way he held her. It was more than just protective…it was almost _possessive. _The way his arms encircled her and pressed her closer to him, his hot breath in her hair brought a warm flush to her cheeks. She couldn't take it in; for so long—she couldn't remember how long—she'd been dreaming of this moment. But somehow…it didn't seem real. It couldn't be real it…

"I'm so sorry, Baby girl." Derek sighed; sadness and regret edged his rich deep voice.

"It's Ok, Derek, it's not your fault I'm…I don't even know why I lost it like that I'm just…tired I guess. Frustrated."

"I know." He pulled back from her just enough to look into her eyes. They were wide, brown doe eyes…he'd never fully noticed how deep round, open and honest they were. Their expression was pure honesty and innocence. A painful twinge struck his heart; he wanted her to stay this way…always pure and innocent. He wanted to protect her from all the pain and horror of the world they were thrown into…but he knew that wasn't possible. He could protect her from anyone that would hurt her but he couldn't shield her from all of it…the nature of their job, it was impossible to go through it day to day and not leave unscathed. Each of them had scars; remnants from cases they'd worked and lives they had saved…and lost.

"Ok, Derek you're getting the strangest look on your face right about now." There was a small smile on her lips but confusion rippled in the deep doe eyes.

Derek smiled then.

_Damn that smile can make anyone go weak in the knees and agree to anything!_

She shook her head, pushing the lingering thoughts to the back of her mind.

"You're just…so _beautiful._"

Penelope's cheeks instantly flushed pink. Her eyes wondered to a lone hot pink Hibiscus off to the side and she concentrated on the pattern of the petals, unable to meet Derek's now penetrating intense gaze. This was so _strange! _He'd called her beautiful and gorgeous before but not like _this. This _was different. She couldn't put her finger on it.

Just then Derek took her chin in his fingers, gently bringing her face back and tilting it upwards to look at him. "You know you're beautiful, right Penelope?" His voice was nearly a hushed soft whisper. It caused Penelope's breath to come in short, fast nervous spurts.

"I've…never really….thought about it I guess…"

"Well you are. Very beautiful." His lips turned upwards in another dazzling smile.

Penelope smiled back, trying to calm the incessant pounding of her heart in her chest. She feared that if she didn't calm herself, Derek would notice. Brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, she loosened her arms from around him, which signaled him to release her. He did so…but very reluctantly; his arms slipped from around her however, his hands lingered for a moment longer on her now toned curvy hips. He couldn't get over how in shape Penelope was. In just over a year, she'd lost most of her extra baby fat and her body had toned down into a perfect voluptuous, hour-glass shape. She was still the same; Penelope had always been a big girl and even though her body was now toned, she hadn't lost her voluptuous, curvy shape. Her hips were still well defined; her shoulders and arms were still full and shapely….and _damn _did she have the greatest ass Morgan had ever seen! It was _perfect!_ Curvy and full and from what he could see of her legs…he could go on and on, her legs were still curvy but definitely toned and she was rockin' the knee-length dress. Her feet, as always, were petite and her toes hadn't lost much of their pudginess. Derek was glad because he'd always thought her feet were the cutest around.

"Well as much as I've loved this walk, we should probably get back to the hotel. I know it's a day off but just incase we're needed, we should…stick close by."

Morgan nodded his agreement. He turned stepping from behind the cover of the shed, then turning he held out his hand towards her. She didn't hesitate and grasped his hand tightly and eagerly. It sent an excited chill down Derek's spine. Despite the fact he was pretty certain Penelope didn't hold the same feelings for him as he did for her, it was still good that he could hold her hand, keep her close and she didn't pull away. That was a start. And for him, it was definitely enough. Maybe in time, he could show her his heart gradually, share his true feelings with her…but it would definitely take time. Though Derek was never doubtless of Penelope's love for him he knew she was right. He was a player and had made a pretty good running record for that reputation. He didn't use women for his own gratification per se, each one he'd been with, there was always some form of genuine attraction; it was never just about the sex for him. But each woman had come and gone…quickly. He'd never been able to hold down a good solid, lasting relationship. Soon, his interactions with women had turned to limited spurts of casual dating…lasting no more than a month at best. And that was definitely being generous. He knew this was no secret to Penelope; she'd known him for seven years and doubtless paid attention to his dating patterns. It would take a great deal of pain-staking effort on his part to show her that he was truly a man of deep selfless devotion, loyalty and passionate love. And he wanted her to see that side of him more than anything else in this world. After all, it was all because of her; she drew out that side of him…the _real _Derek Morgan that he himself longed to be. He was determined, in time he would show her he was worth the chance, worth her forgiveness, her admiration, her love…and her heart. But for now, he was content as he felt the slender fingers twined with his, tighten and the bright smile of this gorgeous woman, flash his way. For now, he was just happy to have this angel in his life.


	4. That's Why You Love Me

Penelope met up with J.J. the following week for drinks. She'd been so overwhelmed by the ongoing investigation with leads that came to dead ends, she needed time away to think and vent with her bestie.

"Jayj, thank you so much for meeting with me like this; I've really needed to get away."

"No problem, Garcia I know you've been warn out."

"I can only imagine how exhausted you must be."

"Well it's all a part of the job and as long as you're still in danger, we're not gonna quit until we find out who's trying to hurt you."

"You sound _exactly _like Derek."

"He's really been the one working the hardest and longest out of all of us-he's even pulling longer hours than Hotch."

"Why does that not surprise me."

J.J. laughed, taking another sip of her martini. "So. We're in paradise-have you met any interesting people since you've been here for the last year?"

"There are scores of awesome people down here, Jayj but…I've really missed all of you."

"You know, Derek's _really _missed you-like _really, really _missed you."

"Ok, I know that tone of voice, J.J. you're trying to tell me something?"

"You haven't noticed? G, he's been like worshiping the ground you walk on, since we got here! And don't take this wrong but I think how much you've changed physically, has definitely affected him."

"Oh yeah well that's no surprise; considering Derek Morgan can't even look at a woman as potential arm candy unless she looks the part." Penelope huffed as she fidgeted on her bar stool.

"Pen I-I never meant it like-"

"Oh I know _you _didn't Jayj but lets face it; we both know how-visual Morgan is."

"It's not that he doesn't think you're beautiful."

"Oh I know he does! He must have told me like six times just yesterday while we were having breakfast-that's the problem! Jayj, he'd tell me I was beautiful before but it was not at all the same as it is now. The way he told me last week was like he was meeting some leggy gorgeous African American model at the coffee shop." Her face fell as she sighed.

"Pen…what's bothering you, Babe I can tell you've been flustered-distracted and just all over the place and it hasn't been just because of the case."

"I just….I don't know what to think of Derek and I anymore-it's been a year since we've seen each other and that's a long time for us having spent seven years practically living together! I mean that's how we've all been but for Morgan and I it's always been a little different, like-"

"Like you're a married couple." J.J. finished for her and she stared at her friend.

"Yeah…like a married couple."

"Do you love him, Pen?" J.J. asked seriously, leaning in closer to her friend.

Penelope's eyes began to water and her chin began to tremble. She half-way smiled but it was more of a sad frightened expression as she took a long swig of her strawberry daiquiri. "I've loved that idiot almost from the moment I met him, Jayj!" and then she broke down as J.J. hugged her tightly.

"Oh sweetie-why haven't you told me this sooner?! Or why haven't you told him-never mind, I already know the answer to that and it makes perfect sense."

"Jayj what am I suppose to do? I can't just waltz right up to him and be like 'oh by the way Derek, I love you and not only that, I've been in love with you from the moment I met you and on top of that-I wanna marry you."

J.J's eyes widened and Penelope only groaned as she hugged her tightly for support.

"I'm an idiot, Jayj…an idiot."

"No you're not, Sweetheart-you're in love and that's what love does-it drives us crazy insane and we laugh because we're so happy but cry too because we don't know what to do about it."

"I think maybe he might be able to sense it but I just hope he doesn't bring it up because I don't know what to tell him yet-and plus I haven't prepped myself for the inevitable rejection."

"You don't know that for sure-Derek I think has a lot of the same feels for you that you do for him; he's just a bit more oblivious to them."

"I just hope you're right Jayj…I really hope you're right."

J.J. hugged her tightly again and the two women finished their drinks as their conversation drifted on to more light-hearted girlish topics.

# # # #

_**Six months later…**_

The team never found any solid leads as to who was after Penelope in Honduras. They'd even come to the conclusion that the little information they'd gathered, supporting that theory, was faulty and in three weeks time, they'd headed back to D.C.

However, the team was dealt two nearly crippling blows in the months that followed. Elle was shot as a result of a killer they'd been tracking on a case who had specifically ordered that no other cops were to be involved. As a result of her attack, Elle was never the same and on a following case, she shot a suspect who'd attacked several women-but at the time, was unarmed. Hotch suspected this and told Elle if she didn't resign, he'd have to arrest her. Two months after Elle resigned, Gideon's girlfriend was murdered brutally by a serial killer he'd been tracking for years. They'd caught him but it was too late; Rebekah was already dead and the loss was too much for Gideon who left soon after without a word. No one ever saw or heard from him again.

In time, there were replacements for both agents in the form of Emily Prentiss who'd been working with Scotland yard in the English branch, and famous former-retired special agent David Rossi. Adjustment was hard for the team but they soon settled into the routine and Emily and Rossi became vital parts of the team. For Garcia, Emily seemed distant at first and kept to herself. But no one could resist the eager, charming blond diva for long and it wasn't a month later, before Emily had affectionately pinned her as 'G' and the two became very close. J.J also became fond of Emily and the three women made quite the dynamic trio.

A few weeks later, Penelope arrived late to work and as soon as the elevator doors opened, she made a rush for her little den. In her rush however, she nearly knocked into Derek who was standing by Emily's desk, chatting with her. "Whoa! Baby girl, what's the rush?"

Penelope turned to face him, still walking backwards towards her office. "Oh I'm sorry Morgan but this chica is late-_so very late!_" And with that, she whipped back around and disappeared down the hall.

Derek smirked and laughed as he turned back to Emily who was eyeing him knowingly. "What?"

She gave her sweet, small smile and ducked her head. "Nothing."

"Don't give me nothing, Prentiss, you're giving me you're look-like you know something."

"Maybe I do-but I'm surprised you don't."

"Exactly what are you getting at here?" He stood to his full height, his hands spread out in a waiting gesture.

"Dude, you're _so _head-over-heels for that woman."

Derek stared at her stunned. "W-what on earth? What the hell are you talking about, Prentiss? It's Penelope-I've known the woman for nearly eight years now."

"Yeah, and you two are like a married couple; just ask anyone they'll tell you! Stop being so blind, Morgan."

He stared off blankly again and then scoffed, shaking his head as he smiled. "You're seeing things, Em."

Just then, J.J. walked into the den with an armful of files. "Who's seeing what?"

"Emily. She thinks I'm 'in love' with Garcia."

"Oh yeah. That's obvious. You just don't know it yet."

His eyes widened as he looked back to Emily, his hand gestured towards J.J. "You women are both nuts."

"No. Not nuts, we just observe the obvious."

"Penelope's my best friend but-she's even dating that Kevin guy… the new analyst?"

"Well I would too if I'd spent nearly seven years waiting on you and you still hadn't made a move? Derek, she's trying to get you're attention; trying to get you to see what's been right in front of you all along-for a while there back in Honduras, I thought you were starting to see it."

Just then, the group was interrupted by Rossi. "Guy's conference room, we got a case."

# # # #

"Cindy Ryan, twenty-one. She was found in a ditch near her family's country home in Georgia." J.J. stated as she brought Cindy's picture up on the screen.

"How close was she to her home?"

"The police said about five miles."

Derek looked at his file displayed on his ipad screen. "Five miles isn't very far-either this guy was trying to send a message to her family or he's just disorganized, sloppy."

"I thought the same until I read the report. There were no traces of finger prints, skin cells, DNA, nothing found either on her or near the scene. This unsub is very organized and meticulous."

"Alright so he's sending a message then."

Penelope spoke up then. "Cindy's hands are arranged in a way that would suggest she wasn't just dumped."

All eyes turned to view the image of Cindy's body positioned on her back but facing west with one of her hands placed over her heart and the other laid carefully across her stomach. "It's either a sign of remorse-" Emily interjected. "Or the position means something to the unsub-maybe someone that he lost was found in that exact same position, Garcia maybe you could look up and see any deaths that occurred in the last five to ten years or so and see if any of them were young females about Cindy's age and how they were found."

"Right, I'm on it." Penelope got up and left, eager to get started.

"So why is the Georgia police department asking us for help? Usually they don't when it's just one fatality." Morgan looked to J.J. for an answer.

"It wasn't just one." with that, she aimed the remote back to the screen and clicked the button which brought up slides for four other women-all blonds who's bodies had been discovered within the last three years, six months apart. "These are four other women who were found in the same position as Cindy, no more than five miles away from their homes, their bodies always discovered in a ditch or small creek. You can see their hands are arranged the same as Cindy's…Their bodies started to appear three years ago, six months apart. This one-Kaylie Remington-was discovered near her family's home in Atlanta and six months after she was discovered, Kerry's body turned up in a city drain in Columbus-her family has a historical six-floor apartment there. Then Kristina's body was discovered in a ditch near her family's farm in Macon. It was a little over six months later that the police then found Karine's body in a little creek five miles outside of Peachtree City; her family lives on the outskirts of Peachtree City so it was also about a five-mile distance from her home that she was found."

"Six months apart, that's a remarkably long time for the unsub to be keeping these women prisoners-what is he doing to them? How does he keep them contained for so long without anyone knowing?" Rossi massaged his chin, his brows furrowing in a troubled expression.

"This unsub is highly vigilant, organized and meticulous; he's not going to be careless enough to keep this girls in a place where people could possibly see what's going on." Reid stood and walked to where they'd set up a map of Georgia and he began circling the places where the bodies had been found. "There's a-289.7 mile radius that he's keeping-this is his comfort Zone."

Morgan's eyes widened as he leaned forward. "Reid that's a lot of ground to cover."

"No but see? There's a pattern. He went from Atlanta-to Macon along route 75 and then from there, it's a straight shot to Columbus along highway 80! And he made a small stop in Peachtree which is where he dumped Karine's body-he's keeping a pattern to the route he takes and if he sticks to it, he'll be heading back to Atlanta and possibly targeting one of the smaller towns along route 185."

"Alright Reid, that's good work. You all need to go home and get some rest; I know it's early but our flight leaves at 4AM and I want everyone to be on-time." Hotch commanded as the group stood. "And try to pack light, Georgia police department is swamped and overrun with these cases and there's not going to be very much room to set up an elaborate brain-storming station so just bring what you need." With that, the group dismissed for the day and each headed home to prepare for their early flight.

# # # #

By 5AM the next morning, the team was airborne and the team settled in for their hour and a half flight. After three games of chess with Reid-which he promptly won in less than ten moves-Derek gave up and standing, he moved to the back of the plane where Penelope sat alone on the long couch, deep in thought. He settled on the chair across from her, watching her but she appeared to not even notice him. "Baby girl."

She slowly turned her head towards him, her stare empty.

"You feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, Just exhausted-I didn't sleep much last night."

"Why not?"

She didn't answer right away-her eyes were far away and he detected sadness and frustration there. Reaching out, he laid his hand on top of hers and instantly, her fingers curled around his as she turned frightened eyes on him. "Kevin and I had a fight-all night we were just-arguing."

"Why?"

"Because he says I'm gone all the time; working late nights at work and then out of town on cases; he says its my fault that there's such a strain on our relationship."

"Baby you and Kevin have only been dating for three months."

"I know! And I told him that but he says that doesn't matter; he says that if I can't make him a priority now that there's no way I'd be able to, six months or a year down the road." Her lip quivered as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Derek caught it with his thumb; he hated seeing Penelope so upset and her crying was even worse-she always looked so vulnerable and helpless. "Mama, you can't blame yourself for this; this is your job and it takes a lot out of all of us; he knew that when he met you; there was no secret about your career."

"Derek-I just don't know what to do. Kevin seems so sure about everything; about us and I'm-I just don't know if I'm ready for that kind of commitment."

"Then tell him that, Baby-he can't force you into something that you're not ready for. He needs to be willing to slow down and take things slow if that's what you want-and if he can't respect that, then he's not worth your time or worthy of you."

She smiled as she held his hand up to her face, giving him one of her special smiles that she reserved only for him. "Handsome, I don't know what I'd do without you to be honest."

"You'd be lost, Ms. Garcia-I'm your hot stuff not to mention your dark chocolate." he flashed her a brilliant smile, winking at her.

"You've been talking to Jayj haven't you! Only she knows that I call you that!"

He laughed at her widened panic-filled eyes. "Sweetness J.J. called me that once in jest and I could just tell she was trying to mimic you; that's the only way I know that you call me that-she never told me."

Penelope grew quiet as she fingered Derek's warm, dark hand as it still held hers. The lines of his veins-and even the few scars there, always fascinated her and she loved tracing them-she had his hands practically memorized and she relished every chance she got to hold them in hers.

"What're you doing, Sweetness?"

She didn't look up as she answered. "Just tracing the lines and contours of your hands-I love your hands, did I ever tell you that?" She looked up at him then, meeting his dark tense gaze-his close proximity was beginning to affect certain areas of her body and she started to fidget slightly…hoping it was unnoticeable.

"No you never have actually…" He smiled warmly at the softness of her fingers as they caressed his hands; his heart began to thud as those familiar-yet unfamiliar crazy feelings from Honduras, rose to the surface again. He was surprised as he'd originally thought they were just the result of being parted from her for so long. But again, they pressed against the surface of his skin and he felt a heat spreading in his veins that he'd never felt before with any woman he'd ever been close to. Maybe Emily was right-He must be falling for Penelope but it had just taken him so long to realize it.

"Well I do love your hands, Handsome; there's a warm roughness about them but yet they're the most gentle hands ever possessed by any man."

He watched her and on impulse, he cupped her cheek in his right hand and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "Woman, promise me that you'll never leave me again for so long-unless I can go with you. I'm serious, a year was just painfully way too long for me to be without you."

"I know, I missed you too, Gorgeous." She winked playfully at him as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek-closer to the curve of his jaw line, which sent an amazing shiver down his spine. She smelled like Vanilla and strawberries; as always and he loved it.

"So now I'm gorgeous, huh?"

"You've always been gorgeous, Hot stuff just in a very different-hot sexy way." She leaned back in her seat, smiling deviously at him.

"You're something else, Woman."

"I know I am. And that's why you love me." she beamed at him and he flashed his brilliant smile back


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys. I'm so so sorry that I haven't been updating. I haven't had access to a computer in months; mine finally broke down for good so until I can get access to another one, updates will be very scarce (aka only times when I'm able to use my boyfriend's). Thanks guys and once again, so sorry! Btw, check out my new Dallas fanfic "I wanna Love Somebody Like You." Xoxo!


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